SAMUEL BARBER (1900-1981): Organ Works - To Longwood Gardens, 3 Chorale Preludes, Partite diverse sopra “Straf’ mich nicht in deinem Zorn” I and II, Prelude and Fugue in B Minor, Suite for Carillon, Chorale for a New Organ, Adagio for Strings, Op. 11, Wondrous Love: Variations on a Shape-Note Hymn, Op. 34, Chorale Prelude on “Silent Night” from “Die Natali”, Op. 37.

Description: These pieces date from 1925 to 1961 but the first five above are all from 1925 to 1928, showing the young Barber coming to terms with the centuries-old organ genres of chorale prelude and fugue, the Prelude and Fugue skating close to a Bergian atonality. Always approachable but not backward-looking, the whole of this lesser-known corpus adds to our appreciation of Barber’s originality. Rudolf Innig (organ of Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche, Detmold).